After more than ten years leading the Bundesliga team, veteran Freiburg head coach Christian Streich announced on Monday that he will retire at the end of the current campaign.

Streich has played for the team for the most of his career; in 1995, he was promoted to young coach.

After Frank Schmidt of Heidenheim, the 58-year-old has been in charge of the first squad since 2011. He is the Bundesliga’s second-longest serving coach.

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Streich declared that he would make an announcement regarding his future shortly after they were eliminated from the Europa League last Thursday, 5-1 overall against West Ham, but that the crushing 5-0 loss in the second leg would not affect his choice.

Over the previous few years, Streich has chosen to prolong his term through short-term agreements.

Despite the team’s relegation in 2014–15, he remained with them and led them to victory in Bundesliga 2 immediately thereafter.

Freiburg has seen its greatest era of success in its history under Streich.

In 2022–2023 Streich led Freiburg to their first-ever Europa League last-16 appearance, a feat he repeated this season.

Under Streich, Freiburg came the closest to winning a major trophy in club history. They advanced to the German Cup final in 2022 but were defeated by RB Leipzig on penalties.

Several German clubs with higher funds have offered him opportunities, but he has stayed resolutely loyal to Freiburg.

“I have considered it for some time and carried out talks, but I think that… this is the right time to make way for new energy, new people and new possibilities,” he said in a statement issued by the club.

A cult figure in Freiburg is the son of a butcher who commutes by bicycle to training.

On societal issues, he has been vocal.

He urged Germans in January to oppose the far-right’s comeback by saying

: “If you don’t stand up now, you have not learned anything”.

“I think it’s very important to stand up against stupidity and right-wing extremism in any form.”